I can't speak for the local Rotary club where you are, but most do meet for about an hour and a half on a weekly basis and enjoy doing it. There are fines all in good fun and enjoying a meal together. How would it be otherwise? The lunch is NOT the community service! I can't believe you would think that. But most clubs have various committees in charge of service projects, exchange students (both inbound and outbound), planning for a Habitat for Humanity project or building wheelchair ramps for people that cannot afford them etc etc. Work is done on a volunteer basis, with the larger clubs doing the larger projects and so on. Most work is very local. This doesn't even count the raising of funds for the eradication of polio, especially in the poorest countries, an international service project of all clubs that Rotary Intl. should be commended for.

I cannot imagine city and county govt. charity work being even close to what Rotary does in efficiency or stature. Please don't put Rotary down, because if you do, you have absolutely NO idea what you are talking about and only show people how ignorant you are.
http://www.rotary.org

With due respect, my local Rotary is nothing but a cabal of businessmen looking to network and glad hand each other. Goofy fines and long luncheons, it's a waste of time.

Public service should be purely voluntary. Buying the service (tuition vouchers) or forcing it (my son must perform community service as part of the honor society) is contrary to how I see it.

My personal community service is through city and county committees and commissions, a school watchdog group, and political activism. I choose to do it and can walk away at any time.

I would recommend joining your local Rotary club. Rotary is the largest service organization in the world, made up of local business people meeting every week and doing ongoing community service. And they still have time for their families, businesses and recreational activity.

I'm not suggesting an answer, merely proposing the question.

Community Service is Something You’re Sentenced To

When I was in the Marine Corps, I served with a kid who was given the choice of the Corps or jail by a judge. I suppose that's a kind of sentencing.